Vanwa Ben Le Lost Without You
by Fatecaster
Summary: The Fellowship is broken and hope seems lost. The Three Hunters find themselves racing to save their Hobbit companions but Fate has a different plan in store. A certain elf has been alone long enough. Legolas/OC, sort of a tenth-walker, taking place after the breaking of the Fellowship. Some influence from the books. Rated T to be safe - may lower depending on story development
1. Preface

**Vanwa Ben Le - Lost Without You**

Our story takes place after the breaking of the Fellowship.

Boromir has been killed, our two favorite troublemaking Hobbits are kidnapped and Frodo heads off to Mordor with faithful Sam in tow.

Legolas and his companions have tracked Merry and Pippin into Fangorn Forest with mixed feelings.

What madness had driven them into Fangorn?

And how will our favorite elf react when he finally meets his match?


	2. Chapter 1

All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over my little warrior, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 1: The Elven Warrior**

In the shade of the trees, an elven warrior wandered through the deep brush, her hand always on her bow. She was deep in Fangorn and had already come across two parties of orcs. None of them had proven much of a challenge and while part of her thirsted for more of a challenge, the wiser part of her merely thanked the Valar for such luck. Part of her good fortune was thanks to the forest itself. During her time there, the young elleth had taken to listening to the trees. With time she was even able to whisper to a few trees touched most strongly by the elven power that had awoken them in the beginning. As she had in other days, she now sensed something off with the aura of the forest, a feeling of trouble that had her looking for cover. Her tunic of forest green and leggings of dark brown hid her well from seeking eyes but you could never be too careful. With her powerful senses on high alert, she crept through the thickets. A snap sounded like thunder to her sensitive ears and she whipped around, her bow at the ready. The sound of crackling leaves and grunting grew louder and the young elf quickly leapt into the closest tree, ready to hunt.

The first face to appear through the thicket was a gruesome looking Uruk-hai wearing hastily made armor stamped with the white hand of Saruman. The pike in his hand was just as poorly made but it didn't need to be for the damage it could cause. The elf stared carefully at the creature, pinpointing the weak spots in its armor before looking back to the brush from which the Uruk-hai had appeared. Following the creature were several orcs, muttering amongst each other while looking warily around them. They were no more comfortable than the young elf but at least the trees knew enough not to hurt her. They would not, however, be stopped from taking their revenge on the foul creatures who cut their brothers down. Among the trees they stood no chance, for even now the ancient forest was whispering. They would do nothing though, so long as the elf stood among them, protecting them.

Among the deep green leaves, it was impossible to notice the same colored eyes peering down at the invaders, and none of them paid enough attention to their surroundings to notice the head of an arrow poking through the foliage.

She took careful aim and with a whispering of the wind the arrow was loosed, striking the Uruk-hai right under the arm. Another arrow followed quickly and the creature was felled before the orcs even realized he'd been shot. Mayhem followed as the orcs shouted and began searching for the invisible assassin. The flash of an elven blade caught one unfortunate orc's attention and he was the second to die by the elf's hand. Once they realized the killer was among them – and that it was a female - the others turned and began circling the elf, taunting her. "Look boys, seems lunch has found us today!" The elleth turned slowly, following all of their movements carefully. "Maybe we should have a little fun with her first, eh? No one to stop us." The second orc sneered as he spoke, licking his lips in anticipation. Too stupid to notice the warrior's glint in the elf's eyes, the orc leapt forward, swinging his ax wildly. It only took a moment for her to evade the poorly aimed blow and with a flash of her blade the orc was beheaded. Again the stupid creatures just stood in disbelief. Returning to her relaxed stance, the elf glared at them. "Even for orcs you're disappointing. This shall be far easier than I'd have liked." With those words she leapt forward, cutting through the group as they put up a last ditch effort to crowd her into submission.

A few meters away, a great miscalculation was about to change the course of her fate. The Uruk-hai moved slightly, not quite dead yet. With his final breath he reached for his horn and blew 3 sharp notes into it. The warrior spun around, her expression grim as she realized he'd just called in reinforcements. She cursed swiftly in Dwarfish, as there are no real curses in Elven, and quickly dispatched the last of the creatures. A roar echoed through the forest and suddenly a great host of orcs came crashing through the forest. The mass was too great even for her and as much as she hated to, her only option was to flee. There had to be at least three dozen orcs coming at her, wielding all manner of deadly weapons. It soon became clear that she was completely surrounded and so the warrior pulled round her bow and started shooting off arrows into the mass, sending howls of pain through the close air. She fought on, backing away as fast as she could.

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A/N: _**Well, there it is! The beginning of my very first fan fiction! It's been a terribly long road getting here, as I've never felt like a good enough writer for this kind of thing. But, with a little nudge from a friend of mine, I've worked up the courage to at least try.**_

_**This little warrior of mine has been begging to be written about in all her kick-butt glory. Honestly, a female elf that is wicked with a bow and arrow and deadly with her sword. It doesn't get much cooler than that – well unless it's Legolas of course!**_

_**As this is my first fic, I'm begging for reviews. It helps me learn and I definitely won't turn down constructive criticism. Flames on the other hand will be blatantly ignored, as I always believe, "The secret to success is not listening to people when they try to put you down. Believe in yourself and listen to the people who help you raise yourself up." Good natured joking and ribbing however, are always enjoyed.**_

_**Also, check back on my profile from time to time for more information or updates concerning the story  
**_

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_Next chapter: "Super Elven Hearing!"_

_Will our little warrior fall? Not if Legolas can help it!_


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I was so thrilled to have received so many wonderful reviews and to have gained so many followers/likes. I'm in joyful awe of your kindness!**_  
_**Please forgive me for posting a few days late. With what has happened in Aurora I was focusing more on being there for my friends as we try to heal in the wake of this tragedy.**_

_**Glory Bee: Thank you again for pointing out my special moment!**_

_**Eliza Russell: Never fear, I have not and will not abandoned it!**_

_**XXxIsn'tThatIronicxXX: Cute name! Your disagreement is one I'm perfectly ok with!**_

_**Guest: Please login so I can flout how happy your comment made me!**_

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over my little warrior, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 2: Super Elven Hearing!**

Aragorn's POV

Tracking the little Hobbits was proving more difficult as the forest grew wilder but he had to find them. The Fellowship had been broken but he refused to abandon his friends.

Legolas followed closely behind him, marveling at the trees as they spoke to one another. The longing in his eyes was easy to spot as he touched a tree every now and then. Gimli on the other hand, was wary, looking around with a frown, "The air is so close here." Legolas looked about at the trees with a slight look of concern on his face. "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory...and anger." As the elf spoke, a great chorus of creaking sounded from the trees. Gimli raised his ax in wary defense, ready to strike at the unseen enemy. With awe clear in his voice, Legolas whispered, "The trees are speaking to each other!" Speaking to each other?

Aragorn could hardly believe it. The stories he heard as a child were true after all. Suddenly the sound grew louder and more menacing. Both Legolas and Aragorn turned to see Gimli brandishing his ax with his eyes wide. The Ranger immediately motioned, his words mimicking the action. "Lower your ax!"

Legolas' POV

The trees were speaking! His sensitive ears heard well the whispers the trees shared and he was awed by it. Never before had he heard such a sound. He had heard the stories of talking trees and indeed, there were several in his own Mirkwood, but few had ever heard them speak in his time.

His train of thought was broken by the trees calling to each other again of strangers in their midst, with concern and anger. Legolas turned to Gimli to explain, "They have feelings, my friend." He could not contain the wonder in his voice as he looked about the forest. "The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

The thought was such an exciting one and Legolas longed to stay and explore. He smiled as he caught Gimli muttering to himself, "Talking trees." He huffed in typical dwarf fashion and glanced around. "What do trees have to talk about, hm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

The three companions continued on for a time until Aragorn paused with a concerned look on his face and turned, shouting to Legolas, "I think there is something ahead. What can you hear?" The elf paused, sending the dwarf Gimli crashing into him. The dwarf fell with a great thump and a many loud curses. A small smile lit upon the prince's lips, sending the small man into an even greater rage as he struggled to stand. "Blasted elves, always doing as they please with no concern for others!" His clear blue eyes sparkling with humor, Legolas returned quickly, "Or foolish dwarves, never looking where they are going." Before Gimli could reply in indignation, Aragorn silenced him with sharp glance and looked at Legolas. "Can you hear anything?"

Aragorn's POV

He felt like something was wrong in the forest, but he had not the senses to hear or see anything in as far a distance as elves could search. Man and dwarf waited in tense silence as the prince listened to the wind with his eyes closed. He suddenly looked to Aragorn, his eyes panicked. "The sound of a horn, deeper in the woods! And a battle - orcs, by sound of things. It may be Merry and Pippin!" At those words the trio raced into the forest, following Legolas closely with their weapons at the ready.

After a few moments the sound of battle grew steadily closer and as they came upon a clearing in the wood they were shocked to find not their friends, but a lone female elf fighting off what had to be at least three dozen orcs. Surrounded by the foul creatures, she was battered and bloodied but still holding them back with her blade and a dagger. It was obvious that she could not defeat them all and with a shout, Aragorn ripped his sword from its sheath and dove into the fray. Legolas was not far behind, his bow flashing in the faint sunlight as he sent arrow after arrow at the enemy. Gimli was last to the battle, still wheezing from exertion as he grated out his battle cry and sliced the head from a nearby orc.

The sound of harsh orc battle cries soon changed to shouts of pain as the trio cut the creatures down. For a time the other elf seemed to have things under control on her part but as they fought their way towards the elleth, she was caught off guard and overcome by the enemy. Aragorn shouted angrily and pressed forward, tearing through the remaining orcs with little help from his companions. For in the last moments of the battle, he had seen something that he never expected.

A familiar face.

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A/N:**_ My warrior was having none of that normal meeting nonsense. Instead she made me write battle scenes, which I then made short, just to spite her._**

_**I'm desperate for reviews and constructive criticism! As usual, flames will be ignored. Although good-natured joking and ribbing are alright**_

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_Next Chapter: "New Wounds and Old Friends"_

_Handsome men in bucket loads and plenty of pain_


	4. Chapter 3

A/N:_**I have been having to form the elven phrases by hand – if anyone has a good online translator, I'd greatly appreciate it. There will certainly be errors in my translations with the way I've had to do it now.**_

_**Glory Bee: I know you were hoping for a longer chapter, and I'll do my best to lengthen them – gimme a little time, ok? :)**_

_**Eliza Russell: Thank you for the edit help on last chapter!**_

_**NazgulQueen525: I'll definitely be continuing!**_

_**viper marie Cahill: Thanks for the compliment!**_

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over my little warrior, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 3: New Wounds and Old Friends**

The elf had never been so happy to see strangers in her life. Just as things got more crowded and dangerous in the clearing, three men had burst from the thicket; there was a man, a dwarf and amazingly enough, an elf. All were well armed and jumped into the fray with fierce battle calls. The sound gave her strength to continue on, knowing she was not alone. Her blades sang out through the mass of orcs, slicing and rending with every stroke. There was a sense of control about her as she twisted and spun through the air, as though fear was not in her heart at all. Yet even as she fought with everything she had, the help of the strangers was much needed. She hadn't been prepared for the wave of enemies that overtook her, or the orc that came upon her with a pike. He was one of the larger of the creatures with long strides and an even longer reach. He practically gutted her with the weapon and it took all of her strength to kill him. She was barely able to move, the pain clouding her sense and her slip earned her plenty of cuts and bruises.

She heard the man shout as she was attacked, as though through a fog. Her head swam and watching as the last of the Orcs were dealt with, she fell to her knees and closed her eyes, too exhausted to even wonder who her mysterious allies were. A breeze brushed by her and she opened her eyes to see that the male elf had appeared ahead of the man and he crouched before her with a frown of concern. She managed to nod wearily in greeting as she winced in pain at her many wounds. She had just turned to secure her weapons when the sound of soft Elven reached her ears. "Esteë, lle yassen mellonea" [Rest, you are with friends]. He swept her up into his arms and began walking back to his friends. He ignored her faint protest and she knew it was a losing battle. She heard him murmur to the others and they all set off. The elleth turned her mind to trying to control her pain by focusing on the trees. They murmured angrily being defiled by orcs and she found little comfort in the aura they gave off.

A ways off from the battle site the dwarf set to making camp as the man quickly laid out his bedroll and took out a small water skin. The elf set her down gently on a blanket and crouched again to be at her level. She looked up at him, her vision hazy around the edges, and heard him say something to her in their native tongue. She shook her head, trying to clear the haze in order to hear him repeat his question. "Mani naa essa en lle?" [What is your name?] The pain in her head made her reply slower than she liked but the elf seemed to understand. "Alyssae. Im amin tuulo'-"[Alyssae. I am from-] Her reply was cut short by the appearance of the man, and she gasped. The man, who she now recognized as Aragorn, sighed softly and smiled worriedly before turning his eyes to the strange elf. "Rivendell." The blonde elf's eyes widened a bit at this information. Alyssae smiled carefully in return, "It has been a very long time my lord. I had not expected to see you so far from home." Aragorn chuckled and replied, [I am not the only one far from home.] Alyssae raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at all the companions in turn. "Tanya naa sai vanya lle quena." [That is very fair to say].

Across the blazing fire the dwarf grumbled loudly, "There they go again, babbling in languages no one else understands. Disrespectful I tell you! No consideration for anyone but themselves!" The other men laughed good-naturedly as Alyssae shook her head, trying to dispel the fog of pain slowly working through her mind. "What on earth is a dwarf doing so very far from his mountains?" It was mostly a rhetorical question and as she had expected from a dwarf, Gimli merely grumbled half answers under his breath, falling rather glum at the mention of his beloved mountains. As her head was still swimming miserably, Alyssae did not press the matter. She turned to her old friend as he knelt beside her, holding out a water skin. She took it gratefully and drank from it. The motion made her hopelessly dizzy and she grabbed her head in pain. Aragorn threw the skin aside and grabbed her arm with a concerned furrow to his brow. His gaze grew even more concerned as he looked down at the deep wound in her stomach. As an elf, she had far more endurance and strength than men, but even she was starting to feel the blood loss. Alyssae was less than pleased when Aragorn started on his scolding. "What were you thinking, taking on a hoard that size with no aid? What are you even doing out here?" Alyssae grimaced and removed his hand from her arm. "I miscalculated. As for what I'm doing here, I think you had better answer that first. I'm in no mood for an interrogation Aragorn."

Aragorn's POV

Seeing Alyssae for the first time in decades was certainly a shock. He had to admit though, as much as he wanted an explanation for her sudden appearance, she had a point. Now wasn't the time to get those answers, not when she looked barely conscious as it was. The severity of her wound concerned him a great deal more. He noticed Legolas bristling and laid a hand on his shoulder, stopping what Aragorn was sure was a scathing retort to the younger elf. His friend frowned but stayed silent as Alyssae watched the exchange curiously. Trying to stop a confrontation between the two emotional elves, he decided to answer her question. "We are searching for two Hobbits. Halflings that would appear as children to most eyes. They were taken captive by a band of orcs and fled into the wood." Aragorn knew he had to help heal her but he weighed it against his desire to know if she had seen the Hobbits. Alyssae looked at him in disbelief and glanced up at the trees, whispering, "That is what they spoke of…" With a groan she pressed her hands to her head again, her eyes losing some of their focus. As Aragorn watched with concern, she grabbed his arm, "The trees have spoken of the White Wizard. Something has changed. Something to do with these Halflings you speak of." She spoke quietly so that he barely caught the words. As Legolas' strong Elven ears caught the words, he frowned darkly and turned away to look at the trees. Her voice followed almost too faint to hear, "Amin anta est." [I need to rest.] With that she fell into sleep, giving into her injuries at last.

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A/N:_** Ouch! Talk about a Mary Sue moment. But hey, you try being stabbed in the stomach by an Orc and see how you feel! At any rate, there seems to be some history between Aragorn and Alyssae. Anyone fancy a guess as to what it is?**_

_**Constructive criticisms, compliments and praise are always appreciated.**_

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Next Chapter: "Bloodstains and the Troubled Prince"

Can Aragorn work his healing magic and save Alyssae? And what's troubling the every calm Prince?


	5. Chapter 4

A/N:_** This chapter is separated into two parts - Extra long this week! I've been playing around with how to separate POV's. Let me know if you like this new method or prefer me to label them.  
**_

_**Hope this is a better length for you Glory Bee :)**_

_**Fr. Berlin: Time to see just how good Aragorn is!  
**_

_**Jasperslittlesister: Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**_

_**tbroski46: Your burning desire to know what's going on made me smile. Here's the result!  
**_

**_Guest: Thank you mysterious stranger, glad you're enjoying it._  
**

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over Alyssae, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 4-1: Bloodstains and the Troubled Prince**

Legolas reached for Alyssae as she fell forward and gently straightened her out so his companion could look at the worst of her injuries. Many of them were shallow, scrapes and cuts at worst. The worst of it was revealed as a great stain of blood spread across her tunic, blossoming more every few seconds. As Aragorn peeled the tunic aside, a gaping wound appeared slashed through her stomach. The man made a tortured sound and the sight was enough to make the prince sick. Every fiber of his being recoiled at the thought of a lone elleth taking on an entire battalion of orcs, even an elven one and he thanked the Valar that they had arrived in time to help her.

He knelt beside his friend as the man muttered under his breath. Legolas knew that Aragorn was just as infuriated by the thought of her lone battle. "Aragorn, what can I do?" The reply was short and to the point "Water, and my herbs. The elf nodded and stepped towards the fire where Aragorn's pack lay. Gimli had risen at the words and silently handed his companion the packet of herbs. Legolas thanked the dwarf and returned to Aragorn's side, opening the water skin that had been laid aside as he moved. Both items he handed to the Ranger and Aragorn went straight to work cleaning the wound and laying healing herbs across it. As he did so, he instructed Legolas to clear the rest of her minor wounds.

Between the two of them, the Alyssae was soon tended to as best they could. Aragorn excused himself to go wash the blood from his hands, leaving Legolas to watch over her. Once alone, he found himself looking at their newest companion closer. She was fair, as all elves are, with long brown hair that reminded him strongly of Lord Elrond's. Her eyes he remembered well; though clouded with pain, they had been a green as deep as the forest in which they rested now.

The elf prince was baffled, a feeling he did NOT enjoy. It made no sense for an elf to be here now, this far away from the rest of their people, especially with most of them heading into the West. There was also the matter of her relationship to Aragorn, who seemed to know her well. More than that, he wanted to know her true purpose here. He hated not knowing the whole of any situation, a problem that was becoming all too familiar in these days. Despite his seemingly composed nature, he was growing more and more uneasy as they traveled. The mask of calm he wore every day was just that, a mask.

He was constantly hiding the rolling emotions within himself; the raging guilt at his failure to keep Gollum from escaping, the fear that they would fail and Sauron would win, the sorrow of being away from his beloved Mirkwood, and a loneliness that could not be totally cured even in the company of his friends. But he was after all a prince of Mirkwood, and a prince never shows his troubles.

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Sitting beside a small stream, Aragorn silently raged. There were no words for how afraid he had been when he'd seen Alyssae wounded. It was already such a shock to see the young elf so far from Rivendell where he'd last seen her. There were so many questions rolling around in his head and it was enough to drive a man mad, especially her words about the White Wizard. Had Saruman managed to track down Merry and Pippin? There was little hope for the two Hobbits if that were the case. It did not matter though; they would try to save them regardless of where they were. There would be no thought of abandoning their friends to a fate filled with such horror.

His thoughts wandered back to Alyssae and he frowned. How had she known what the trees were feeling and saying? It was just another mystery to add to his load. With any luck, her wound would heal with the haste known to elves. They were far faster healers than mortals and if he knew his old friend, she would want to check the wound herself. She was after all an expert healer. Aragorn stood and started the trek back to camp, taking his time as he muddled through the mass of questions rolling about in his mind. Walking always helped him think and right now he needed all the aid he could get.

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There were few things that truly impressed Gimli, the magnificence of the Lady of the Wood being chief among them. He added now the sight of that little lass who took on a battalion of orc scum with naught but a bow and blade. She had not come out unscathed however; that he could see clearly as his companions tended to her. Ah well. He yawned loudly, popping his joints as he stretched. The pair of them seemed well up to the task of healing her. The dwarf rose and took the bundle of kindling he carried to the center of the camp, lighting a small fire. Aragorn passed him by, heading into the woods; the look on his face made Gimli pause. There was obviously something more to this whole situation, but it seemed unlikely that he'd get the full story any time soon.

He spent a few more moments setting up his bedroll and grabbing a bit of meat to tide him over before laying down for a well deserved rest. They'd not need him for a while yet and he fully intended to make up for lost rest. No bloody elf was going outlast him on the morrow!

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Part 2: "History and Naptime for Gimli"

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**Chapter 4-2: History and Naptime for Gimli**

The trees had long fallen strangely silent as Legolas sat in deep thought. He looked down at the smaller elf he watched over, lying so peacefully asleep despite her injuries. It was incredible how someone so small could have such strength in her. They had seen the number of orcs she had struck down; each and every one of her arrows had hit its mark, claiming a life every time. Legolas' lips lifted in a slight smile – it was a talent to rival his own.

He turned away at the sound of Aragorn returning at long last and asked in a low voice, "Will she be safe to move? I fear we have wasted time we did not have to spare. We have yet to find Merry and Pippin." Aragorn sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face tiredly. "It grows dark in the forest. I do not think it safe to keep moving tonight. I fear we may lose ourselves in here if we attempt it." Legolas nodded, frowning as he noted the stress in his friend's eyes. It was obvious that he was concerned for the elleth. Legolas wanted to find out more about their past. First though, Legolas turned to ask Gimli - who had been strangely silent for a time - his opinion of the plan. He nearly laughed aloud at the sight that met his eyes. The poor exhausted dwarf was deep in sleep, his ax held comfortably to his chest. The long chase had been hard on him, as dwarves are not known for their skill in long distance running. "Well, I do not think that Gimli will object to this plan." His eyes sparkled with laughter as he looked to Aragorn, who smiled faintly. "No my friend, I think not."

The Ranger knelt to check the bandages he'd placed on his patient before lighting his pipe and going to sit beside the fire. Legolas glanced once more at the sleeping elleth, and then went to join his friends around the fire. He could not resist questioning Aragorn about Alyssae, "What do you know of her? It seemed that you two have met before."

Aragorn smiled slightly and took a puff of his pipe before settling in to tell their story.

"I met Alyssae when I came to Rivendell as a child, after the death of my father." He frowned at this, pained at the reminder of his father's murder. Legolas laid a hand on his shoulder a moment in sympathy. He had heard the story years ago on his first visit to Rivendell. Aragorn continued, "At first she was just another elf, someone I saw from time to time as I passed through the gardens on my way to my lessons. But several years passed and I began to show an interest in the art of healing. Lord Elrond was pleased that I was accepting that part of my birthright and sent me to learn at the House of Healing. In that time, most of the healing done was minor, a few elflings tussling or a wound gained during a sparring match. I was put under the instruction of Alyssae's oldest brother, Dorion, who was considered the wisest of the healers" He smiled at some secret memory and after a moment, continued.

"Much of my time was spent reading and observing the healers in the House, learning their ways. One of those healers was Alyssae. Her specialty was in creating herbal remedies. Every week I spent one day with her, learning the names and purpose of various plants and healing herbs. Years passed and eventually, under her brother's strict teaching, I was named a healer myself. I never gave up my weekly trips with her, though I had no need of the lessons. You see, over the many years spent alongside her she had become one of my dearest friends. Many times did she give me counsel and guidance. She is the closest to a sister I have ever known."

He paused in his story once more to take out dried meat and bread for them to eat. Legolas accepted a bit of each gratefully, taking the chance to ask another question, "You say she was a healer. What changed?" Aragorn sighed, his eyes growing dark with sorrow. "Her brother died." There was great pain in those words and Legolas easily noted it, "What happened to him?" Aragorn shook his head and took another puff from his pipe. "That is not my story to share."

Legolas sighed softly and started to eat his small meal, sensing he would get no more information from his friend this night.

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The memory of Alyssae falling in battle brought Aragorn's emotions rolling to the surface again. In all the time he had known her, Alyssae had been a symbol of constancy and strength. It was she who protected him on their travels outside of the city when he could not, she who convinced him to make that first step in gaining the love of his beloved Arwen. He had her to thank for many of the safe, happy times of his youth and now when she needed his aid, he had been unable to save her from harm.

It was her blood that stained his hands now. He looked down at those hands, not long ago covered in a mixture of elven and orc blood; the vision would stay with him forever. He had done all in his power to heal her but it was not enough to ease his guilt. Never again would he fail her in such a way. She was as kin to him and he protected his kin with his life.

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The pair fell silent for some time, each lost in their own mind. Soon Aragorn retreated to his blankets, needing the restorative rest they had put off until now. Night fell to black as Legolas sat watch and it was hours before Aragorn rose to take his place.

Many times had their conversation played in Legolas' head and with his thoughts still turned to losses of his own, it was a long time before the elf rested.

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A/N:_ **It's always adorable picturing Aragorn as a little boy. I put Alyssae's age around 50 years younger than Legolas. In elven time, it's very little age difference. With her being an elf and all, she would look the same to Aragorn as when he came to Rivendele as a child, making it easy to identify her. It also explains why she didn't really know who he was the first time she saw him. There was just enough difference that she wouldn't have noticed in the heat of battle.**_

_**Your wonderfully supportive reviews are very much loved and make me that much more motivated to continue. Thank you all so very much!**_

_**Please Review, it makes me smile! Constructive criticism always welcome**_

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Next Chapter: "Pain, Lots of Pain!"

Waking up at last and meeting the Prince of Mirkwood. [Also, anyone who can tell me where I got the name of the chapter from will be given a virtual cookie and hug]


	6. Chapter 5

A/N:**_ Another two part chapter!_**

**_Glory Bee: Legolas will be starting to get to know her now_**

**_tbroski46: Hope your ready for more cliffhangers XD_**

**_ : Gimli will give this story a lot more fun soon!_**

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over Alyssae and Dorion, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 5-1: "Pain, Lots of Pain!"**

Pain.

The first sensation that was restored to Alyssae was a great, raging pain. Slowly the rest of her senses came to her, though she was still groggy and could not remember exactly where she was. She carefully opened her eyes and tried to sit up.

More pain.

Extreme pain.

She hissed and looked down at the source of it, noting the bandaging which was slowly becoming stained with red again. She cursed in Dwarvish and put a hand to her stomach. The sound of quiet laughter stopped her and she looked over to see another elf looking at her. He stood and walked to her side with a water skin in hand. "I would not waste breath cursing your own body. It curses itself well enough." He moved a bedroll behind her, allowing her to sit up without much more pain. She took the water he offered and drank deeply. Finally she worked up the effort to speak. "Where am I? The last I can recall is seeing Aragorn…" She looked to the fire and saw the man she spoke of sitting on the other side of the camp, looking out at the woods with blade in hand.

Her eyes watered with the pain her wound caused her and she turned her focus back to the elf beside her. He was very striking, she mused to herself. He had crystal blue eyes that sparkled when he smiled and fair blonde hair braided carefully along the sides and back. She softly questioned him, "What is your name?"

He was slender and yet quite fit as well, she noted, her eyes following his hand as he raised it to his chest in greeting. "My name is Legolas Greenleaf." Alyssae's eyes widened momentarily, recognizing the name easily enough. "You are of Mirkwood, a prince, as I recall." She returned the greeting more formally. "It is a pleasure to meet you my lord. And you have my thanks. If you and your companions had not arrived when you did, I do not know that I would be here now." She winced once more and Legolas frowned. "Do your wounds pain you?" He glanced around as though looking for a way to ease the pain. Alyssae smiled slightly, "If you will bring me the bag of herbs I know Lord Aragorn carries, I will be able to tend to myself." The prince nodded and retrieved the bag. There was fluidity to his movements that whispered of his skill as an archer, an almost cat-like grace that was the natural talent of an elf. He wore a plain tunic and leggings, and yet his bearing was visibly noble. It was easy to believe he was royalty. The pain drew her thoughts away from Legolas and she rummaged through the bag, searching for the right herbs for the pain in her head and from her wounds. She scolded herself for staring so boldly at the prince as she searched.

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Legolas couldn't help but laugh when he heard Alyssae cursing so fluently. And as he saw her poking through herbs with such a competent air, he found himself admiring her. She had shown great skill on and off the battlefield, doing things that many elf maids would never consider.

She looked up suddenly and he turned his eyes away, berating himself for staring so intently at her. He glanced back after a moment to see her holding out the bag. "Thank you. These should be enough to ward off the pain for a while yet." Legolas took the bag and stood to return the pouch to Aragorn's bag, fighting to regain his neutral air.

The motion of his bag being shifted caught the Ranger's attention at last and with a stretch he rose to join the two elves. He smiled affectionately at Alyssae and greeted her in normal elven fashion. "How do you feel this morning? I see you've already found your way into my stores." The sight of her smile, bright as the sun, was a true gift. It lit up the camp like the sun from behind the clouds and the companions found themselves smiling as well.

As Legolas wondered at his sudden urge to smile, he turned abruptly and began organizing a meal for them as she answered, "I did and I must say I am quite proud of you. You've not forgotten all of our long lessons. As for the pain, that will fade in time, with the aid of these of course." She smiled once more and asked for Aragorn to help her stand. Legolas could hear that with Aragorn's careful assistance, she made her way to the fireside and settled down on their blankets with merely a small sound of pain. Legolas continued preparing the food, determined to ignore his mind's insistent concern for the elleth's condition. Aragorn took the herbs from Alyssae and began crushing them into a poultice for her wound and a mix for her to chew to relieve the pain. As she finished applying the herbs, Legolas made his way to the other side of the camp to wake Gimli.

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A/N: The way Aragorn and Alyssae interact sometimes seems teacher/student, but they have a camaraderie from "growing up" together that mirrors and older/younger sibling relationship.

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Part 2: Observant, Isn't He?

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**Chapter 5-2: Observant, Isn't He?**

The morning light was annoyingly bright as Gimli was shaken away by Legolas and the dwarf found himself longing for his mountain yet again.

Dwarves are not known for being morning lovers, and Gimli was no exception to that rule. Normally he rose with much grumbling and growling with only the thought of eating keeping him from going back to sleep. Ah, but there were more interesting things to think about this morning. As he felt the fog of sleep clear from his head, Gimli noticed the she-elf had risen and seemed well on the mend. She-elf…what else do you call a female elf? He grunted to himself; well, she-elf would be good enough until she had the decency to introduce herself.

Gimli grabbed food from the pile that Legolas had made for breakfast. As he worked his way through a hunk of dried meat he looked a little more closely around at his companions. Something curious had happened while he was asleep and his clever eyes caught signs of it. The she-elf was focusing on something Aragorn had said, and yet Gimli noticed that her eyes wandered every now and then in the direction of Legolas before snapping back to attention. Well then. It appeared the she-elf found the prince interesting. The dwarf smiled and turned to joke with the elf about this, but paused as he noticed Legolas glancing over at her just as frequently. The elf was just as interested! Now THAT was something worth following. Gimli chuckled quietly to himself and bit into his bread. Now then, how to get the most fun out of this? The only thing Gimli enjoyed more than good food and a good fight was annoying Legolas as often as he could. If he was to take full advantage of this new development, his first dig would have to be something really good.

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The ease with which Gimli woke this morning made Legolas nervous. The dwarf was usually far more vocal about being roused early and with far more frowning. Legolas didn't know why Gimli was handling this morning better, but he was willing to guess it had something to do with their newest companion. He just hoped his friend would lay off of the insults for a while yet.

The prince glanced over at Alyssae who was deep in conversation with Aragorn. Her smile had faded as the pain made itself known yet the whole camp seemed brighter with her presence. Even Gimli seemed merrier…yet, the dwarf looked more triumphant than cheerful… Legolas frowned, once again wondering what was going through his friend's mind. He wore the same strange grin he always did when he was getting up to mischief. He groaned to himself. Any mischief would be aimed at Legolas; that much was certain. It always was.

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A/N: _**Writing for Gimli is super fun. He's got such a lovely sense of humor and loves poking fun at the all too serious Legolas. And picturing the kind of mayhem Gimli inflicts on romance is double fun!**_

_**You guys are so gosh darn nice to me and I thank you – you keep me well inspired.**_

_**Please Review!**_

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Next Chapter: "Attention Span of a Catfish and Heart of a Joker"  
Alyssae learns just how hard it is to pay attention when a sexy elf is wandering around. And Gimli strikes at last!


	7. Chapter 6

A/N:_** Please forgive me for not posting last week! I was home sick and my writer's block came back with a vengance. Thankfully a bit of my muse returned and I've got a super duper long chapter for you this week! The title from last week is from A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger btw!**_

_**Clembob: Sorry it took so long!**_

_**tbroski46: hope Gimli makes you smile!**_

_**OffMyTea: lovely name! Not much relationship stuff here but lots of good plot building!**_

_**xxz0eyxx: hope I spelled that right! Gimli is just getting started XD**_

_**cheshirekadi: I haven't seen the movie yet so I couldn't say if the quote is in there XD**_

_**Singer of Water: Enjoy!**_

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over Alyssae and Dorion, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 8: "Attention Span of a Catfish and Heart of a Jokester"**

Alyssae tried to listen closely, she really did. But even as Aragorn spoke of past memories from Rivendell, she found her attention wandering back to Legolas. It had been a long time since she had seen any of her own kind and she found herself more than a little curious about him. He had woken up the dwarf, who had promptly made a pig of himself, gnawing on dried meat like it was his first meal in ages. She wrinkled her nose at the poor manners and forced herself to listen to her old friend, not glance distractedly at the mysterious elf packing across the fire pit.

Aragorn's voice filled her mind at last, "…I did find it strange that you were nowhere to be found in Rivendell when I returned with the others at the start of our quest." Alyssae flushed and bowed her head slightly. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to greet you after you had been gone from us for so long. You see, I left only shortly after you did." She looked up with faint sadness in her eyes. "There was no more reason to stay after you left. Without Dorion …and with you gone…" Out of the corner of her eye she saw Legolas pause, seeming to try to listen to their conversation. Not wanting to expand on the feelings, she spoke softly, "There was nothing left there for me." Her friend frowned slightly and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, careful of her still sore wounds. "I am sorry that I wasn't able to stay longer with you. I found that I couldn't stay either, but I did not realize it would be much worse for you. Forgive me." The Ranger bowed his own head in shame. Alyssae shook her head fiercely and pointed a finger at her friend. "You have nothing to blame yourself for. We both chose our own paths, and the Valar saw fit to bring us together again after all this time. We should embrace the chance to be with family again." Aragorn nodded and smiled at her. "You're right. Now, you really should eat. You've used up a great deal of energy in healing and we can't have you fainting again." He laughed as Alyssae shook her head angrily. "Fainting, like a little elfling. How foolish."

As Aragorn chuckled quietly, she stood carefully and walked to where the dwarf was finishing his meal, her curiosity about him growing. The dwarf looked up at her and smiled. "Good to see you're all in one piece lass."' Alyssae smiled and put her hand to her chest in greeting before taking a seat beside him. "Thanks to the help of you and your companions. Thank you. My name is Alyssae." With the air of one trying something new, the dwarf mimicked her hand motion and replied, "You're welcome. We couldn't just leave a pretty young lass to fend for herself out here. I am Gimli son of Gloin"

Gimli proved to be pleasant enough and Alyssae found herself enjoying his company. They spoke for a while, each sharing a bit about themselves. She spoke of how she had met Aragorn when the curious dwarf asked, and in exchange he told her of his homeland in the mountains. It was plain to see how deeply each missed their own land and they found a common bond in that.

Finally her hunger pushed to the forefront of her mind and Alyssae turned to her new friend, "Master Dwarf, is there food to spare after your grand feasting?" She spoke in a joking voice, continuing the ribbing they'd given each other over eating habits of their respective races. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite prepared for the response she got. "I'd have thought you full after all the feasting your eyes have done on the elf." She froze, her half horrified, half embarrassed face proving too much for the dwarf to handle. He slapped his knees and laughed loudly. Alyssae glanced back, praying to the Valar that Legolas had not heard such damning words. Luck was on her side as she saw Legolas and Aragorn deep in conversation on the other side of the camp, just far enough away that his elf-ears would not catch the words. The elf maiden snatched the food right out of the dwarf's hands and marched off with it and a few other bits of food to eat, her head held high as the tips of her ears burned in embarrassment. As she marched away she turned and whispered violently, "I was NOT…feasting as you called it!" The dwarf just looked down at his hands, where his food had been only moments ago.

She decided then that she hated dwarves

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A/N: _**I had a little trouble writing this exchange between Gimli and Alyssae. I'm absolutely horrid at writing dialogue. I know I'll receive some bashing for my bad form, but hopefully there will be more constructive criticism to help me so I can actually improve. Crazy thought, I know.**_

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**Part 2: Destiny and Destruction**

Legolas couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Aragorn and Alyssae. Having elven hearing was sometimes a blessing but right now it felt like a curse. The sorrow between the two friends was very private and he felt almost ashamed to have caught them in that moment. It troubled him though; why had he never been told about this elf? If she was so very important to Aragorn's life, why had there been no mention of her in all the time the two hunters had known each other? It just felt wrong to be so very out of the loop. Legolas shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned to see Alyssae approaching Gimli, who had taken control of the food supply. With any luck the dwarf would still be too tired to make any mischief. Legolas hadn't forgotten the all too pleased look Gimli had worn not long ago.

All thoughts of mischief makers were forgotten as Aragorn approached him with his "mighty leader" face on. Aragorn had a habit of wearing particular expressions that reflected his thoughts and this one said all too clearly that he wanted to talk about something that wouldn't make his companions happy. Legolas sighed and turned to face his old friend, "Mani naa ta?" [What is it?] He spoke in elven, not wanting Gimli to overhear before they solved whatever problem Aragorn was about to expose.

Aragorn glanced behind Legolas at the elleth on the other side of the camp before replying, "Amin merna sana he yassen lye." [I want to bring her with us.] The soft statement was followed by a sigh, as thought he already knew the response it was going to bring about. Legolas bristled and shook his head vehemently. "There is no way she is coming Aragorn." He pointed towards Alyssae just enough so that Aragorn could see, "Look at how wounded she still is; she would only slow us down!" The Ranger frowned darkly, not willing to give up without a fight. "Legolas, she has been in this forest for goodness knows how long. She understands the trees and knows this place like it were her own home. We both know that without some kind of help, we may never find Merry and Pippin." There was a moment of silence as the two friends squared off, staring sharply at each other.

The silence was broken a few moments later when Alyssae came storming past, muttering and squeezing her food so tightly it looked about to crumble. Both males eyes followed the furious elleth before turning back to each other, silently questioning what had happened. Legolas shrugged and turned away. One thing had been settled, Alyssae was moving almost completely normally, even with her barely day-old wounds. It went without saying that she would come with them then. Aragorn wouldn't leave the idea alone until the prince agreed and so Legolas simply deferred to him. It was easier that fighting and wasting more time in the search for the Hobbits.

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Gimli couldn't believe it; the lass had actually taken his breakfast! His jaw was dropped as he stared blankly at his empty hands. This was NOT the reaction he'd expected when he had gone out of his way to tease the elleth. She was supposed to have glared and if anything, blush. Not steal his blasted meal!

Gimli glared over at the elf, now across the campsite, eating away with over exaggerated enjoyment. He knew she was purposely torturing him with that sight and the dwarf grumbled angrily and turned away with crossed arms. Tired as he was, Gimli decided revenge could wait. He set about packing his belongings instead.

As he meandered about his corner of the campsite, he noticed Aragorn and Legolas frowning and carrying on in angry whispers. Gimli frowned himself; it was unlike the two friends to snap at each other like that. He wondered what brought it about and his question was answered a moment later when Legolas pointed subtly in Alyssae's direction. It seemed this elf's presence was going to create a much more interesting journey for the group. Whatever they were arguing about though, it was none of his concern. At least not until they decided to include him in their little discussion.

* * *

Alyssae had finally cooled off after a few minutes of raging at Gimli. She refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten to her with his crude comments. After all, it wasn't a crime to be curious about another elf, especially when she hadn't seen one in many years. A soft blush rushed to her face as she thought about it. Maybe she had been looking a little too closely… There was just something about him that seemed to draw her in.

As she ate slowly – more to irritate Gimli than anything – she listened to the forest. It was something that helped her stay grounded, especially after so much wandering alone. Even now when she was with a group, she still felt closer to the trees than anything else.

It was as though her very blood yearned to understand and comfort this ancient forest filled with so much pain and sorrow. After she had left Rivendell, Alyssae found herself wandering through the Misty Mountains, trying to find her reason to keep going. Losing Dorion had brought Grief with it. The pain had nearly taken her life, leaving her emotionless and empty. It had taken an ambush of orcs to remind her that there was still a purpose to be had in this life. There was still evil to be purged in this world and she knew that her dear brother would wish for her to fight it. So she did; in his name and in the name of all the defenseless who had ever fallen victim to the evils of Sauron.

Throughout the next few years, she devoted herself to learning the art of battle from various warriors and Rangers she met along her travels. It was then that she truly found herself. No longer did she feel empty and without purpose. No, now she had strength and the power to destroy darkness wherever it sought to harm others. It was still not enough though. Something inside of her still felt missing.

The day she found her way into Fangorn, she knew she had found the missing piece. As she learned the language of the trees, she found more and more sadness that needed curing. The very earth around her was crying out for help and she knew she would answer that call. Alyssae devoted her time to cleansing the forest, orc by orc, swearing to remove darkness once and for all. She owed it to the earth that had given so much to her people and to all the people of Middle Earth.

Alyssae's eyes teared up slightly as she reflected on the past. Movement in the corner of her eye had her wiping her eyes dry and she saw Legolas and Aragorn coming towards her. The two friends knelt beside in front of her and she knew they would be looking for answers. Aragorn, always the kind host, asked after her health before getting down to business. Once she replied that she was feeling much improved, the prince broke in. "We need to know if you can help us find our friends. You spoke before of the White Wizard." Alyssae nodded slightly and turned her head up, looking into the treetops. "Over the years, I have learned the language of the trees, or at least the ones that were gifted by the elves. I have spent much of my time protecting them and in exchange they tell me of all the going on's of the world around them. Whispers of the White Wizard have been coming to me for a while now. Strangely, they spoke with anger and fear at first, but now there is something different." Her two companions exchanged glances. "Now, they speak almost reverently of the Wizard, something that has not happened for a long while." Legolas frowned and looked to the trees, "What could have made them change their opinion? Have they turned their hearts to Sauron as well?"

Suddenly there was a great roar and the trees around them began to sway dangerously, whipping branches at the group. Gimli raced over to the others, ax raised as they were bombarded by flying sticks and the trees seemed to move around them, closing in before they had time to react. With a great groan the ground moved beneath them and the maelstrom of dirt joined the mayhem, making it impossible to see anything. Screaming winds and crashes filled the air, blocking sight and sound of the group, even from each other

Just as suddenly as it began, it ended and all fell deathly silent.

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A/N: _**I really am going to be killed for this one, aren't I? [throws up hands in defense] Don't hurt me!**_

**My college classes start tomorrow but I'll do my best to keep posting every weekend - but if I should miss a day, please don't hold it against me. Being a college student is hard work :(**

_**Please Review!**_

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Next Chapter: "The White Wizard Approaches_"_

The time has come. Middle Earth will never be the same.


	8. Author's Note - DON'T PANIC!

DON'T PANIC I AM NOT GIVING UP THIS STORY

There, now that I've gotten that out of the way, I can fill you guys in on what's been holding things up.

These past few weeks have been some of the hardest I've ever experienced and college is really tearing me to shreds. This is one of the main reasons I haven't posted lately. This has been paired with severe writer's block, which has made writing practically impossible. I have about half a chapter done right now and will certainly keep working to fill it out. Please, if you have enjoyed my story at all, bear with me as I try to make this work. I will be doing everything humanly possible to get another chapter done for you guys this week – hopefully a really long one to make up for keeping you all waiting so long.

To all of you who have stuck with me so far and who are still looking forward to this story's future, thank you. I hope to do you proud.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N:_** I am SO sorry everyone. I have no excuse for my absence other than that I was not at all prepared for the heavy workload of college. But, I'm on Spring Break now and I've FINALLY gotten the chapter that's been giving me trouble done! It's a little short but I have a surprise for you all to make up for that. And to all of you that have been waiting patiently and sending wonderful reviews and support, thank you. You guys are the reason I keep writing. The chapter's name is gonna be different than I predicted (stories can be funny like that!) so don't panic if it's not what you expected. Hope you enjoy!**_

_**miss-rayn: Gimli's easy to write humor for – he keeps things fun!**_

_**xxz0eyxx: I warn ya, I LOVE a good cliffy**_

_**GeminiCrystal: Sorry to worry you; I'm back at last!**_

_**alexiana75: I'm a shameless shipper of Arwen/Aragorn so plan on some cutesy moments between them**_

_**waterflower63: Glad you're enjoying it! You'll just have to wait and see about any romance :P**_

_**jack63kids: Well, let's see if we can convert you!**_

_**Ortholeine: You've probably started college by now – hope it's going well!**_

_**jack63kids: Your reviews have really been helpful and sweet – thanks!**_

_**Feelingwolfish: Sorry it's taken so long, here's hoping the chapter meets your expectations**_

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All LOTR references, characters, places, etc. belong to their genius creator, J.R.R Tolkien. I only claim ownership over Alyssae and Dorion, as well as a few other characters of my own creation who will be introduced later.

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**Chapter 9: The White Wizard Approaches Part 1: Rescue and Remembrance**

Silence. It is a terrible thing. More terrifying than all the fires of Mount Doom itself. Alyssae knew she would rather brave the flames than listen to the deafening silence that hung through the longest moments of her life. As the dust settled over Fangorn forest and the silence grew, slight mounds of earth and wood appeared before her. That – that was a sight she would have traded a thousand silences for if only to prove those hills an illusion. The elleth knew all too well what those tell-tale marks hid.

In her time among the trees, she had learned of their fierce temperament. Though stationary most of their lives, the trees were known to get riled, especially when something came along that did not please them. Dangerously overprotective and willful, the trees could charge at any moment, rushing trespassers to their domain. Just as had happened only moments ago, the trees' roots would rise from the earth, capturing and sealing all into graves below the very surface they stood upon only moments ago. There was no need to injure the trespassers; they would merely suffocate within the cage with time.

All this the elleth knew and yet it was painfully long moment before she truly realized what she was staring at and she rushed to the closest of the masses. She knew the fury of the forest was not something easily swayed but she knew refused to accept the idea that her allies were lost. She took a moment to gather herself as she tried to think of a way to free them. No blade or weapon could breach the roots, strong and ancient as they were. No, the only way was also the most ridiculous. Alyssae would have to convince the forest to let them live.

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The first thing Legolas became aware of was darkness. It felt as though the whole world had suddenly vanished, leaving him entirely alone. As his sensitive eyes grew used to the lack of light, more became clear to him. The world had not in fact disappeared, it had instead been compressed. All around him were roots, thick as the arm of a troll and knotted all around him, forming an unyielding cage. A frown touched upon the prince's face and he groaned, pressing a hand to his temple as he tried to ignore the flutter of fear in his heart at the sight before him.

There is little elves truly fear in this world, but above all is the fear of being trapped. The free nature of all elves made it nearly impossible for them to bear any kind of captivity, be it mental or physical. Having grown up in the wild freedom of Mirkwood, Legolas was especially unhappy being held against his will. The aura of calm the prince kept so close to him was shattered as his heart raced wildly, bring with it terror that he could not ignore. It only took one look to see how truly trapped Legolas was and he found himself praying to the Valar as he rarely had before, willing to give up just about anything for a way to escape the darkness.

Time passed as though a dream for the prince and it seemed many hours before there was any sign of a world beyond his own private hell. Through the silence, as though in answer to his prayers, came a voice calling out from above. Clear and pure, it sliced through the deafening silence and caught Legolas' attention at once. He strained to make out the words and realized that it was not a call, but a song being repeated over and over.

Althan i'fuin eller naa galad; [Beyond the darkness there is light]

Ona i'gorga n'uma eska e'cormlle. [Give the fear no home in your heart]

Amin tua lle, [I will help you]

Lasta a'amin oova [Listen to my voice]

The words felt as though they wound through his very heart and gave the prince a peace that was foreign to him in a situation such as this. He found himself forgetting his fears and it seemed as though the very space around him were growing larger and changing as the words changed to become a loud command.

Taurë, [Forest,]

Mankoi lle uma Tanya? [Why did you do that?]

Ron mellonea [They are my friends]

Edro sii', ar'kela! [Open now and go away!]

As the words echoed through the air all around, there was a great creaking and groaning of trees. Legolas felt his wooden cage growing and warping until there was a break in the roots, revealing glorious blue skies. The dull ache from being in an uncomfortable position and the sudden, blinding sunlight didn't bother him – he was free! He leapt through the opening in the ground and landed gracefully with a sigh of relief and a whispered thanks to the Valar.

It took a moment for his sensitive eyes to adjust to being above ground again and as his vision cleared, he spotted a small figure come flying from the earth. The sound of cursing and grumbling immediately identified it as Gimli. The sight lightened his heart and Legolas couldn't help but chuckle at his companion; apparently even dwarves had their limits on being underground. The next rumble of the earth revealed Aragorn, who climbed out of his pit gracefully. Out of all the companions, the Ranger looked least affected by the sudden onslaught. Legolas shook his head in bewilderment – he would never understand the source of Aragorn's inner calm. It was a calm that he'd never seen in the race of man.

Now there was only one missing companion. The elleth was nowhere to be found.

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Darkness should be comforting. Who ever heard of a dwarf afraid of the dark? The very thought of it was insulting! But even Gimli had to admit, being swallowed up by the earth without warning was disconcerting, to say the least. It wasn't even the darkness necessarily, but feeling of those blasted trees trying to smother him while he couldn't see a thing. What he wouldn't give for his ax in this moment. He'd teach those trees a thing or two about taking a dwarf against his will! He sighed darkly and crossed his arms. Someone better get him out soon or there would be hell to pay. For now though, he contented himself with grumbling and flailing a fist angrily on occasion, at the wall of wood around him.

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Being a Ranger brought with it many talents, one of which was a gift for meditation. Aragorn was better at it than most of his fellow Men and that was the one thing that saved him when the sudden attack came. As soon as he discovered his prison, he calmed his mind and blocked out the natural fear trying to cripple him. A few moments of meditation did wonders and his calm only grew when he heard the sound of a song. The song itself was something he had never heard before; but the voice, that was something he knew. It was a voice he had always known, and one that he hadn't even realized he missed until it was heard again. It was light and gentle, though the words spoken rang out with the strength of a thousand men.

As the command of the voice rang out, his prison was parted and he climbed up out into the open air with a smile. That kind of power was something he hadn't seen in a very long time. He called out to his companions and motioned for them to join him. "Legolas, Gimli, are you alright?" His friends made their way through the rubble to him, Gimli grumbling and muttering all the way. "Blasted forest toying with us like that!" He shook his fists at the trees and seemed ready to continue ranting but Aragorn shot a hand out and covered his mouth. "Be quiet Gimli! The last thing we need now is to anger the forest more." He looked all about them, half expecting to be thrown back to the earth, this time for good. After that moment of concern over the forest's reaction, the three allies broke into relieved laughter. The sound was unexpected but welcome after such a tense encounter.

The sound of soft laughter rang out from the trees, joining their own, and the three warriors turned in search of the source. Through the shadow of the trees, a faint form grew closer, finally breaking free of the darkness to show Alyssae. Except for a few leaves stuck in the curls of her hair and a smear of dirt upon her high cheek, she was untouched and Aragorn sighed in relief. As she walked to meet them, he called out to her. "Your voice has not lost its power my friend. Even now I am reminded of the Winter Festival when last I heard you sing." He smiled slightly; it was a happy memory for the both of them but the Ranger realized too late the harm in that particular memory as the elleth's smile fell.

* * *

The sight of the trees shifting was enough to send Alyssae to her knees in relief. There had been a moment, as she was singing words of comfort to her friends, when she had doubted her ability to convince the forest. Her words to the trees had been rushed and she hardly knew what she had now that it was over. She could see from the spot she'd retreated to that all of her companions were safe and judging from the sound of the hot-tempered dwarf's complaints, they were unharmed. She could hardly blame him for his words though; dwarves prefer to enter the earth of their own free will. As she joined her friends in their laughter, it was like a balm to her heart. All of her friends were safe and the forest had gone quiet at the displeasure she'd shown. For the moment she could rest easy; she had not lost anyone else.

That moment did not last long though, as Aragorn made mention of the Winter Festival. Her heart ached at the bittersweet memories and she found herself wanting nothing more than to weep at reminder of the last time their little makeshift family had been together. It would be the last time her dearest Dorion would walk among the living.

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A/N:_** As you've noticed this chapter runs a bit short. This is where the surprise comes in: this weekend, look for a special update! To thank you guys for your continued support, I'll be posting another chapter this weekend, taking you all into the past where you'll finally learn more about Alyssae's older brother, Dorion. Can't wait to share it with you all!**_

_**Review for me, pretty please?**_

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Next Chapter: Memories of the Heart: The Winter Festival and the Fountain of Tears

Winter has come and joy abounds. But fate has its own desires and none can escape it for long.


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